From December 1993 through September 2011, the U.S. military allowed gay and lesbian service members to serve in the armed forces as long as they didn’t disclose their sexual orientation. This policy is commonly referred to as “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” or DADT. In other words, military leaders were expected not to inquire about any soldier’s sexual orientation, and gay or lesbian soldiers were expected not to share this part of their identity. The U.S. Congress reconsidered DADT because it denied openly LGBT people the right to serve their country. Since DADT ended in 2011, openly gay and lesbian service men and women have been able to serve.